How to Use Rules of Thirds

So you have your work flow sorted out and you’re well on your way with Filmora but you’re not quite happy with your results or something just seems off when you watch your videos back. You may be missing an important element of all visual media and that’s composition. This is where the building blocks of every frame come together to make a visually pleasing piece for the viewer and helps the eyes concentrate on the content rather than trying to figure out what they are looking at.

I’m sure you may have heard of the rule of thirds for art or photography and you may not know or understand what it is. You may even be wondering how the rule of thirds can help you with your video creation. Well, that is what I’m going to show and explain to you today.

What is the rule of thirds

At its core the rule of thirds is a guide to follow whenever you create something visual.

You break an image into thirds both horizontally and vertically, in doing this you are left with nine boxes and four gridlines, the rule states that by placing key elements in line with gridlines you will have an overall better composition.

To gain a better understanding of this here is a visual example of the gridlines and nine boxes.

This may seem simple but is often overlooked due to time restraints and eagerness to get that video out there. By following these guidelines your overall composition will gain interesting and pleasing results that can help with viewer engagement. This is only one piece of the puzzle but as any photography professional or artist will tell you, It’s the small things that add up.

How to use the rule of thirds

To show how to use the rule of thirds I will be showing an image with and without the use of the guidelines. In doing this you will be able to see how impactful this system is and how it can help with your own creations within Filmora .

This will be our scene example, you can see buildings, boats, water and skyline. This may be typical of a backdrop or an insert for a holiday picture amongst many other things.

I will now show this picture with no compositional thought and without the use of the thirds system.

Notice how all the elements are in the scene but it just looks interesting and something just seems off when you look at it. You may find yourself searching for understanding of the image rather than taking the image in and concentrating on what the creator intended. This is seen commonly due to the need to fit every element in the scene but sometimes it is best to sacrifice something you may see as important for the sake of the whole picture.

We will now look at the example image with the rule of thirds in place and see if overall this makes a more interesting scene.

We have aligned the skyline with the first horizontal grid line and aligned the boats with the vertical grid lines. We have sacrificed the crane in the scene but overall I’m sure you can agree that this is more pleasing and makes more sense when you’re viewing this. The whole middle section of the scene now has information within it and the contrast between the middle and the rest of the scene directs your eyes to what was intended to be viewed, This is called effect use of empty space. In doing this you save yourself time from adding more information to direct the viewer.

Placing key elements directly in the center of your scene can seem static and boring but by placing elements to one side or using the first and second horizontal grid lines you create something called Dynamism , where the viewer sees an element along the grid and takes a journey through the rest of the image.

Studies have shown that this is the humans natural way of viewing imagery, we first find something interesting to look at and then journey around that. So by using this rule you are creating a more natural process for your viewer.

Tips when starting using the rule of thirds

The first tip I would say is to view other videos, YouTube is a good starting point. Watch interviews and notice where the chairs are aligned. Watch reviewers and notice where they position themselves in the scene. Lastly watch movies and pause on an interesting scene and try to deconstruct where everything is placed and why they chose that composition.

The idea with the rule is to have it become something you do naturally, by always considering the form you save yourself time in the editing process. The key things you have in your mind whenever you make a scene should be.

1. What is the key element in my scene or what am I trying to make the viewer focus on.

2. where do I intend to place these in my scene?

3. Have I created a balanced scene with enough negative space to direct the eye.

If you consider this with every video you make then in time this will become as natural as drinking water on a hot day. As a practice you could open some old projects and apply this rule to your video to see the results and you may find yourself impressed with the change.

When is it best to not use the rule of thirds?

The rule is very useful when you’re aiming to grab the attention towards a certain element but that being said, when you have a symmetrical scene you can get away with not using the rule as your eyes can make sense of symmetry very well.

Even when working with a symmetrical scene you can incorporate the rule within for elements such as people or key figures but in this situation it is down to the creator to figure what they feel is best in any given shot.

How to Use Rule of Thirds in Filmora

The tools provided within Filmora are generous and one great feature is the crop and size tool.

When inserting an image or movie file you can right click on the timeline and select crop and size bringing up a handy screen with the gridlines already there for you. It’s just a matter of aligning your shot for the best composition.

For reference I will show you what this looks like.

First right click the timeline on the image you want to reposition. Alternatively you can select the desired insert and press Alt+C this will also bring up the same editing box.

Now click on the crop and zoom option and this editor will appear.

As you can see you are able to align the shot and change the aspect ratio to align with your project. For a better look at the built in grid lines see image below.

Conclusion

To conclude, the rule of thirds is very important within visual media and is tough within the fundamentals of art and photography from beginner level right up to the highest point of education, Practice thinking about your placement of key elements within your videos and how this affects your overall composition. The goal is to have this as an automatic thought when shooting your videos or still images. This is a small change you can make but has a big impact on how a viewer engages your content and in return leaves a positive opinion towards your creativity and eye for detail.

Free Download For Win 7 or later(64-bit)

Free Download For macOS 10.14 or later

Working Out All Important Details of Slowing Down Video in After Effects

The discovery of manipulating various aspects of video is advancing in every era. One such advancement is manipulating time duration to create slow-mo. Slowing down a video has advantages in many industries and multiple contexts. For instance, it focuses the audience’s attention on a video shot or during a sports match. They also help in comprehending scientific processes during research.

If you also want to experiment with this video aspect, then you’re at the right place. This article will provide you with a detailed guide on how to slow down video in After Effects. Along with slow down footage After Effects, you can learn about an alternative. Both video editors are professional when it comes to making a slow-mo. Keep reading the article to learn more about the slow-down clip After Effects.

Slow Motion Video Maker Slow your video’s speed with better control of your keyframes to create unique cinematic effects!

Make A Slow Motion Video Make A Slow Motion Video More Features

Part 1: A Complete Overview of Adobe After Effects

Before learning how to slow mo in After Effects, we want to introduce you to the software. Adobe After Effects is a professional software designed to assist in post-production. Those unrealistic scenes you see in a sci-fi movie are its creation. Users can work with multiple effects categories to create animated scenes and titles.

The software has undergone multiple updates since its creation. With each version more advanced than the previous, users can perform multiple tasks with it. They can add and customize visual effects, 2D vectors, and 3D animations. Following are some of the functions to find along with slow-down footage After Effects:

Text Animations: Adding text and titles is important for emphasizing a video’s key parts. In After Effects, you can personalize titles and introduce animations. You can also create animated logos in this editor for personal branding.
VFX/Visual Effects: You can add multiple visual effects and presets from its asset’s library. The tool also allows users to customize and add an effect to preset. This helps with increasing productivity during video editing tasks.
Motion Tracking: Do you want to blur out or remove a person or scene throughout a video? With this feature, doing that is a piece of cake. Select the object-to-motion track and play the video from start to end. The tracker will detect the object’s motion and add a specific effect throughout.
Masking: Many video editors offer masking options, but a few offer precision. Precision is very important during masking, and After Effects is a master of that. Along with different masking options, it offers custom settings to bring accuracy.
Timeline Editing: To see how professional software is, see if it has a timeline panel. Timeline editing is one of the functions that bring accuracy and professionalism. You can cut, align, apply effects, transitions, and much more on it.

Part 2: A Guide to Slow Down Video in Adobe After Effects During Editing

Upon learning about After Effects and its functionalities, let’s move forward. This section highlights the step-by-step procedure of creating a video slow mo. This is a quick and simple method to slow down a video using After Effects. Keep reading the below section for a seamless slow-down clip After Effects:

Step 1: After importing a video, navigate towards the timeline video layer and right-click on it. From the dropdown menu, select “Time” and then select the “Time Stretch” option.

Step 2: In the Time Stretch window, increase the default value of “Stretch Factor.” Then click “OK,” and this will slow down your clip.

Step 3: To bring precision to your slow-mo, you need to adjust the frame rate of the video. For this, right-click on the timeline and go to “Frame Blending > Pixel Motion” option. Afterward, play your video from start to end and observe the changes.

Part 3: Alternative: Slowing Down Video in Wondershare Filmora with Clarity

Even though slow-down footage After Effects retains video quality, there are certain drawbacks. It is a professional video editing platform used by filmmakers. This means the software must have some technicalities and costs a fortune. Hence, we provide you with a simpler yet professional alternative called Wondershare Filmora . It is a video editing software that offers multiple editing functions and effects.

Wondershare Filmora is an AI-driven software that makes task achievement accessible. Along with multiple features, there are different methods for slowing down a video in it. You can use its Super Slow-Motion feature, Speed Ramping, or a Preset for it. In this guide, we will discuss all these methods with their step-by-step guides.

Free Download For Win 7 or later(64-bit)

Free Download For macOS 10.14 or later

Methods to Slow Down Video in Filmora

In this section, we will discuss alternative methods of slowing video in After Effects. All the mentioned methods are carried out in Wondershare Filmora. Here is the step-by-step guide to creating a slow-motion video using Filmora:

Method 1. Step-by-Step Guide to Slow Down a Video Manually
Method 2. Step-by-Step Guide to Slow a Video Using Optical Flow Option

Method 1. Step-by-Step Guide to Slow Down a Video Manually

Users can employ the manual speed adjustment option along with the automated slow-motion option. The method of accessing this option is straightforward, and here is its guide:

Step 1Initiate Filmora and Import Media

Once you have downloaded Filmora, start it and click the “New Project” tab. After accessing the editing interface, click the “Import” button to download media. From the Project Media panel, drag and drop media to the timeline.

Step 2Access Uniform Speed Option

Once the media is in the timeline, select it and right-click on it. From the options panel, locate and click the “Uniform Speed” option. From

Step 3Adjust the Speed and Preview

A settings panel will appear on the right side of the screen; navigate towards it. Under the “Uniform Speed” tab, adjust the “Speed” slider to slow down your video. If its value decreases, your video will become slow motion. Further, hit the play button to preview and export your slow-mo video.

Method 2. Step-by-Step Guide to Slow a Video Using Optical Flow Option

If you prefer the automated creation of slow-mo, then Filmora offers an AI Frame Interpolation feature. Find the detailed instruction manual for accessing this feature below:

Step 1Look For Speed Ramping Option

After importing media and bringing it to the timeline panel, select it. Then, navigate towards the top toolbar and select the “Tools” tab. From the expansion menu, click on the “Speed Ramping” option.

Step 2Access the AI Frame Interpolation

Continue to select a specific preset for speed ramping. As you select one, locate and expand the “AI Frame Interpolation” section. From the appearing option, select the “Optical Flow” option.

Step 3Render Preview for Results

Once you have enabled this option, navigate towards the timeline toolbar. Search and select the “Render Preview” option from the given icons. Play the video to see the results, adjust, and click the “Export” button to download.

Edit Beyond Basic with AI Video Editing Features of Filmora

This part of the article will highlight some of the prominent video editing features of Filmora. The uniqueness of these features lies in their AI-backed algorithms. You can give directions according to your video, and AI will operate accordingly. Here are some of its video editing features that you’ll come across upon entering:

1. Remove Background

With this feature of Filmora, you can remove the background of your videos and images. The AI-integrated technology preserves the object while removing the background. In addition, you can add a solid color, gradient, or custom background for it.

2. Auto Reframe

Creating reels for Instagram or crafting YouTube shorts has some requirements. To preserve the integrity and visuals of content, it is important to fit a video. With this AI, you can set the required frame resolution. Along with that, it preserves the pixel quality of the video while resizing the frame.

3. AI Smart Masking

Filmora offers multiple mask options to infuse effects and filters to specific parts. However, the V13 upgrade introduced an AI masking feature for improved results. By enabling this feature, you can choose to mask objects or backgrounds.

4. AI Thumbnail Creator

Thumbnails increase video views by evoking the audience’s interest in seeing a video. In Filmora, you can employ the AI Thumbnail creator to auto-create thumbnails. It analyzes the best frame out of your video and chooses it as a thumbnail. You can further apply many templates to this thumbnail according to context.

Conclusion

This article has expanded your knowledge and expertise about two powerful video editors. With how to slow down video in After Effects, we introduced you to the software. There is no limitation of features in either software as both bring out the best in videos.

However, we recommend Wondershare Filmora as it is a more accessible alternative. Creating a slow-mo in this software is easier and requires no effort. In addition, you can also access its built-in effects and presets for task productivity.

Make A Slow Motion Video Make A Slow Motion Video More Features

Part 1: A Complete Overview of Adobe After Effects

Text Animations: Adding text and titles is important for emphasizing a video’s key parts. In After Effects, you can personalize titles and introduce animations. You can also create animated logos in this editor for personal branding.
VFX/Visual Effects: You can add multiple visual effects and presets from its asset’s library. The tool also allows users to customize and add an effect to preset. This helps with increasing productivity during video editing tasks.
Motion Tracking: Do you want to blur out or remove a person or scene throughout a video? With this feature, doing that is a piece of cake. Select the object-to-motion track and play the video from start to end. The tracker will detect the object’s motion and add a specific effect throughout.
Masking: Many video editors offer masking options, but a few offer precision. Precision is very important during masking, and After Effects is a master of that. Along with different masking options, it offers custom settings to bring accuracy.
Timeline Editing: To see how professional software is, see if it has a timeline panel. Timeline editing is one of the functions that bring accuracy and professionalism. You can cut, align, apply effects, transitions, and much more on it.

Part 2: A Guide to Slow Down Video in Adobe After Effects During Editing

Step 1: After importing a video, navigate towards the timeline video layer and right-click on it. From the dropdown menu, select “Time” and then select the “Time Stretch” option.

Step 2: In the Time Stretch window, increase the default value of “Stretch Factor.” Then click “OK,” and this will slow down your clip.